Stornoway Primary pupils leave lasting legacy with MRI Suite name

A suggestion from a group of Western Isles schoolchildren has been chosen as the new name for the MRI suite at Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.

Last month, NHS Western Isles invited the local community to help name the new MRI facility. Individuals and groups were encouraged to submit suggestions that reflected the identity and spirit of the Western Isles. In total, 156 submissions were received, the majority from individual residents.

NHS Western Isles was particularly delighted that two local primary school classes took part in the process and submitted proposals for the new facility, which is due to open next month.

Class GL4A from Stornoway Primary School suggested the name ‘Eilean Siar Image Care Centre’. Following consideration of all submissions, NHS Western Isles selected a slightly adapted version, Eileanan Siar MRI Care Centre, to better reflect the purpose of the facility.

A comment from the class was as follows: “We thought of ideas as a class which would represent the location, the purpose and the ethos of the suite.  We decided that Eilean Siar is a good use of Gaelic and ensures that people know it is for the good of the whole of the Western Isles.”

The state-of-the-art MRI facility represents a significant investment in diagnostic services for patients across the Western Isles, providing access to advanced imaging technology closer to home.

NHS Western Isles Chair, Gillian McCannon, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a suggestion for the new MRI suite. We wanted to involve people from across the Western Isles and give them the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by contributing an idea that will become part of the hospital for years to come.

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, said: “We were delighted by the level of participation and particularly pleased that local school pupils got involved. Congratulations to Class GL4A for submitting such an excellent suggestion. Their proposed name reflected the location, purpose and values of the facility, and we felt it was a fitting choice for this important new service.”

The new MRI suite marks an important milestone for healthcare in the Western Isles, enhancing local access to diagnostic imaging and reducing the need for patients to travel outwith the islands for MRI scans.

Pictured is Stornoway Primary class GL4A with Gordon Jamieson, NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, and Gillian McCannon, NHS Western Isles Chair.